The Masquerade Duel
by Dark-Reader-Dude
Summary: The "Princes Duel" has come again to Hermione, a small peseant girl's village.Princes from all the lands and other competetors have flocked to Prince Ron's kingdom for the magic duel. Hermione, determined to win, enters. Pity its Boys only.HG/Many A/U RR
1. Chapter 1

**Bonjourno People. Just like a really short prologue to get the story going, I will be updating soon. If anyone has read my other stories, I am sorry for not updating for like...a year and 5 months, but in my defence, I moved to africa so it's kind of a big deal. That and I'm lazy and have kind of got bored of that series, but there will be updates on all my stories coming up. THIS STORY SHOULD BE UPDATED TOMMOROW. Like, follow, whatever, but PLEASE reveiw. That lets me know someone is actually reading this, which makes me right more, ergo faster and longer updates... :D :D :D**

**Thanks for clicking on this, and I hope you enjoy!**

Prologue : The Masquerade Duel

H.G POV

It the banners people see first I reckon, they are hard to miss. They go up all around the kingdom, they're obnoxious, colourful, in your face…and they work. The Prince's duel is always the talk of the town at this time of year; the girls can't wait to see all those men fighting, or all the other princes coming. For men it's all about the bragging, who is going to win this and that, not like half of them enter anyway. I myself will be entering, but there is only one small little problem… only men can sign up. It's stupid if you ask me, our fair prince Ronald is a slovenly git who does not think that girls can fight, or cast any sort of magic except cleaning charms.

That boy can't even hold a wand right, so I really don't see how he can talk. Ever since the King passed away, and Prince Ronald's five older brothers went off to rule their own kingdoms, Ronald has been in power. Good thing he can't claim the throne unless he gets married. Hah, what bimbo would have him! The princes from other kingdoms will be coming soon, accompanied by hordes of men wanting to compete and women looking for a potential husband, and soon this little village hidden in a forest will be the busiest place in the lands. I, Hermione Jane Granger, will be in this duel, and I WILL win.

**Yeah I wasn't joking, it is was short, no?**

**Okay R.R, so I know what you like and didnt like. Any and all suggestions are helpful...except the ones that aren't (-_- sorry, bad joke)**

**OKAY PLEASE LEAVE A REVEIW**

**-Dark reader dude!**


	2. The REAL chapter 1

**Hey everyone! I can't beleive I am actually updating. ITS A RECORD FOLKS, 2 UPDATES IN 2 DAYS! AAAAANYway. So yeah here we go, the first real chapter. Just saying this now, this is NOT a Ron/Hermione story, because I can not stand that pairing. I do not know who hermione should go to in the end so please tell me (note. Voldermort is not in this, but Tom Riddle is) Please leave who you think Hermione should end up with in the end in a reveiw please. Also, I had no internet while writing this, so I couldnt get the proper spells, my bad! Okay, please enjoy!**

**RATE AND REVEIW!**

Chapter 1:

H.G POV

"Hermione, time to get up!"

Hmmm, What? Oh…right. The voice of my elderly mother wafts up the stairs. It must be nearly Five a.m. I swing my legs over the bed and feel the wooden boards creak beneath my feet. I swear one day this floor is just going to collapse, and I'm going to go with it. There are already four charms on it, strengthening it and such. It's not like we have the money to buy a new one. Ever since Father left, apparently he couldn't handle a magical daughter and a loving wife. Some men just have all the bad luck, right? I don't blame my Mother; I never have and never will. Father was a drunk, it was the talk of the village when he left.

"The poor Grangers, how will they go on? No money and no son? Who would marry their daughter, with hair like that?"

That's what was usually said. Of course they didn't know I could cast magic, and that the only reason no man would marry me was because I charmed myself to look "un-attractive". If I got married I would have to leave my mother, and she could not support herself. We have our own little vegetable plot beside the house, charmed to grow year long. It someone was to wonder this deep into the woods, they might think they had walked into a fairy-tale. Our little cottage looks like it just fell from the Brother Grimm's book of fairy-tales. With the light falling in patches through the emerald leave canopy, and the little wooden fence that bordered us, it was quite pretty. Pity nobody would see it, I had so many enchantments and charms up, the Prince's head wizard himself couldn't find us.

"Hermione, could you please take a batch of the vegetables into the market?"

Mother asked me, sitting at the kitchen table, sewing up one of the old dresses again. I felt sad or her sometimes. She looked so frail and fragile, like a strong gust of wind would knock her over. Her silver hair was pulled onto her head in a bun, and her green eyes were as informative as ever. Her pale brown dress and apron were perfectly ironed and her black shoes were polished. No matter how weak she may look, I knew different. She had a knife in one of the invisible sown in pockets, and she was the one who thought me to fight hand to hand. She was as active as she liked, or so she would have me believe. I could see it though, she was growing old, and illness came stronger and faster. No amount of my magic could stop the inevitable.

"Of course Mother", I say with a happy tone to my voice.

I had eaten my bowl of oats, and was now adorning my pale blue dress and apron. I through a black shawl over my shoulders and stood in front of the silver pan above the cooker. It was the only sort of mirror we had. I looked at the honey brown locks that cascaded down my back in smooth ringlets and straight nose. I smiled and looked at my straight white teeth, and my tanned clear skin. It may sound vain, but I do look pretty. Sadly no one else can know that. I take my wand from my wrist holster with a quick flick and hold it above my head. Like an egg cracking over my head, I felt the spell slide over down my face and body. This was a variation of the invisibility spell that I had come up with, not quite a glamour, as this was more real. My hair became a mousy brown and frizzed up to scary extremes. My eyes became a dull brown, and my nose became crooked as if broke again and again. My teeth bucked like a rabbit, and my chin became pointed out. I became pale and spotty and my usually trim and muscled midsection now held a layer of fat. Good, now any man would run for the hills at the prospect of marrying me. I said good bye to mother and went to the garden. Soon I had the vegetables in my little wicker basket and the gate was closing behind me. I walked into the woods and hitched up my horse. Usually I would just use magic to get in, but that was suspicious to a town who don't know I am a witch.

It didn't take long to see the bright posters. The princes duel! Yay. I had dreamed of entering it since I was a little girl, but my mother told me over and over again about how only men can enter. Every year they offered the prize of 1000 golden coins, and what I wouldn't give to win that for my mother. She wouldn't have to remake all her dresses. I can't remember the last time she bought a new dress for herself.

When I got into town, I went to Hagrid, a family friend and also owner of the biggest stall in the market. When he saw me, he hugged me so tight I swear he almost hugged the magic off of me.

"MIONE, How're ya? How's your mother keeping?" Hagrid's gruff voice boomed over the hustle and bustle of the market. Hagrid has to be the tallest man I know, nearly 6 foot 10, and he towers over all the other people. His hair and beard are both so long and rough that they seem to blend into each other, but I'm starting to notice the flecks of grey filter through. I tell him all is good, and swap the vegetables for some meat and two spare gold coins. He waves to me and I once again am on my way. I make my way to the centre of town to where the book store is and use that extra gold coin to buy a new book on plants and their uses. The book store clerk rolls his eyes as he watches me leave. Ever wall in my room is covered with books, and the floor, and my little desk. I walk out the book store and look at my fairy-tale village. Belle's village in beauty and the beast has nothing on mine. I walk to the fountain and set my basket down. Sitting down by its side, I pick up my book and begin to read. I don't know how long I read but I was startled when I felt someone sit down near me. A boy handing out flyers for the Duel comes up to me a puts one in my basket. When I know he is not looking I take it out and crinkle it up, about to put it in the bin across the busy street.

"Not a fan of the Duel I take it?" I deep voice says from beside me. I look over to see a man with black messy hair. His eyes were as green as emerald, but were obscured by glasses. "No, no I am not. I think it is stupid and sexist that they do not let witches and women take part. Morgana was one of the most powerful witches, feared by many, yet out prince seems to think that women do not know how to play." I tell this stranger stiffly. He laughs and takes the flyer from my hand and unfolds it. He hands it to be and walks away. Looking over his shoulder he calls out "it might be fun to at least watch! My name is Harry by the way." And with that he throws his brown traveling cloak over his shoulders and is soon lost in the crowd. I look down at the flyer and notice something new on it. "NEW MASQUARADE DEUL". The duel will be held in masks? The prize had gone up to 2000 gold coins. I could enter this year. I could WIN this year. No, I WOULD win this year. It was almost as if the stranger, no, Harry had wanted me to see the flyer. I must thank him if I ever see him again. Come to think about it, I never have seen him before, and I know everyone in this village.

**Okay, what you think? Please leave a reveiw! I want to say a big thanks to every one who reveiwed the last chapter, and I hope for more on this one. Thank you everyone who alerted this story and all, I'd really appreciate a reveiw aswell...just saying :P. Reveiws let me know what you like, and what you would change...so its kinda important. NEXT UPDATE TOMMOROW!**

**- Dark Reader Dude**


End file.
